Abhijeet Dipke has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to issue a formal apology following reports of police brutality targeting children, including 12-year-olds, during a protest associated with the Court on Justice for Peace (CJP) on July 20, 2026. The demand emerges as a direct response to a video message from the Prime Minister in which he claimed to have “forgiven” students who used abusive language against him, a gesture Dipke argues ignores the physical violence allegedly perpetrated by state security forces against minors.
The confrontation centers on the events of July 20, during which demonstrations linked to the CJP were met with a police response that Dipke alleges crossed the line into brutality. Reports indicate that law enforcement officers targeted participants, including children as young as 12, using force to disperse the crowds. While the government has focused on the conduct of the protesters, Dipke is shifting the scrutiny toward the conduct of the state.
The catalyst for Dipke’s public demand was a late-night video released by Prime Minister Modi. In the recording, the Prime Minister addressed the rhetoric used by student protesters, stating that despite the “abuses” directed at him, he had chosen to forgive them. Dipke responded to this communication by suggesting that the Prime Minister’s capacity for forgiveness should be matched by a capacity for accountability. He expressed hope that the Prime Minister would post a subsequent video, not to address personal slights, but to apologize for the actions of the police force under the government’s jurisdiction.
Why It Matters
This dispute underscores a critical tension regarding the proportionality of state response and the legal protections afforded to minors in India. The Prime Minister’s decision to frame the conflict as one of personal offense and subsequent “forgiveness” effectively centers the narrative on the behavior of the protesters. By contrast, Dipke’s demand pivots the conversation toward institutional accountability.
The involvement of 12-year-old children in these police actions raises significant legal and human rights concerns. Under Indian law and international standards, the treatment of minors by law enforcement is subject to stricter scrutiny. When the state employs force against children during public demonstrations, it invites questions regarding the necessity and legality of such actions. Dipke’s call for an apology is not merely a request for a gesture of goodwill, but a demand for the executive branch to acknowledge a failure in the operational conduct of its security apparatus.
Analysis: The friction between the Prime Minister’s gesture of “forgiveness” and Dipke’s demand for an apology highlights a fundamental conflict over the nature of state power. The Prime Minister’s communication focuses on a personal grievance—verbal abuse—which allows the state to occupy a position of moral superiority. However, the counter-demand shifts the focus to the physical reality of police brutality. This creates a dichotomy between “symbolic” forgiveness for words and “material” accountability for physical violence. By demanding an apology for the treatment of minors, Dipke is challenging the narrative that the state is the aggrieved party, suggesting instead that the primary victims of the July 20 events were the children subjected to police force.
Background and Context
The Court on Justice for Peace (CJP) has emerged as a focal point for protests seeking systemic legal and social reforms. The July 20 demonstrations were part of a broader wave of civic unrest and activism that has seen students and youth taking a more prominent role in public dissent.
Historically, the intersection of student activism and police response in India has been fraught. From the handling of university protests to regional civic demonstrations, the use of force against youth has frequently led to legal battles and international scrutiny. The specific allegation that 12-year-olds were targeted adds a layer of severity to this instance, as the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act provides specific guidelines on how minors should be handled by the state.
The Prime Minister’s use of direct-to-camera video messages has become a staple of his communication strategy, often bypassing traditional press conferences to speak directly to the public. In this instance, the video was intended to project a persona of magnanimity. However, for activists like Dipke, this medium is seen as a tool for narrative control that avoids the granular details of police misconduct and the specific evidence of brutality on the ground.
What to Watch Next
The resolution of this standoff will likely depend on whether the government moves beyond rhetoric to provide a factual accounting of the July 20 police actions. Observers should monitor for the following developments:
First, whether the Ministry of Home Affairs or local police departments release footage or reports detailing the engagement with minors. The presence of CCTV or mobile phone footage from the protest will be pivotal in determining if the allegations of brutality are substantiated.
Second, the potential for legal challenges. If the families of the minors involved file petitions in the High Court or the Supreme Court, the government may be forced to provide a formal explanation for the police conduct, moving the issue from the realm of social media videos to a court of law.
Third, the reaction of student organizations. If Dipke’s call for an apology gains traction among youth movements, it could transform a localized incident into a broader campaign against the perceived militarization of policing in civilian protests.
Conclusion
The demand for an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi marks a significant attempt to hold the highest office in the land accountable for the actions of the police. While the Prime Minister has sought to close the chapter on the July 20 protests through a narrative of personal forgiveness, Abhijeet Dipke has ensured that the question of institutional violence remains open. The core of the issue remains whether the state views the protection of minors during protests as a legal obligation or as a secondary concern to the maintenance of order and the protection of political dignity.
Sources:
Hindustan Times – India News (https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/abhijeet-dipke-asks-for-pm-modis-apology-over-police-brutality-on-12-year-old-kids-on-july-20-cjp-101785597484320.html)
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
